Bedpan ventilator



Oct. 27, 1942. A R. ,DAHLKE 2,300,109

BEDPAN VENTILATOR Filed March 8, 1940 AdnI h RIDahIka Patented Oct. 27, 1942.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE BEDPAN VENTILATOR Adolph R. Dahlke, Wausau, Wis. Application March 8, 1940, Serial No. 322,894

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to ventilators for bedpans, and has primarily for its object to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive portable ventilating apparatus for ready attachment to bedpans, whereby odors are effectively removed from the pan and discharged to outside atmosphere, either through an adjacent window or available vent.

Incidental to the foregoing, a more specific object resides in the provision of an intake cup adapted to be loosely supported upon the rim of a standard bedpan, and connected with a portable, motor-driven suction fan, whereby odors are drawn through the cup and discharged to outside atmosphere.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus of the foregoing type, which may be quickly suspended from any convenient portion of an ordinary bed.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention, the same being attached to a conventional bedpan and suspended from a bed;

Figure 2 is a transverse section, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan section, taken on the line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a modified form of my bedpan, having one or more suction nipples.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral I designates an ordinary bed provided with a mattress 2, upon which a conventional bedpan 3 is conveniently positioned.

The bedpan 3 is of standard design, and comprises an elevated end wall 4 merged into a supporting top rim 5, to form a restricted opening, the edge of which terminates in an inturned bead 6.

The invention consists of an intake cup 7 for loose attachment to one end of the bedpan 3, as will be hereinafter described in detail. The cup 4 is connected with a motor-driven suction fan 8, by means of a flexible tube 9. Also, an exhaust nipple Ii) of the fan 8 is provided with a flexible tube II, which may be trained out of an adjacent window, or attached to any available vent in the room, to discharge air dispelled by the fan to outside atmosphere.

For the purpose of convenience, the fan unit may be provided with a hook l2 for suspension on a side rail of the bed I. Likewise, the exhaust tube- Il may be provided with suitable hooks l3 for attachment to the bed rails, to support the exhaust tube above the floor.

As best shown in Figure 1, the side walls [4 of the cup I are provided at their upper ends with depending fingers I5, which straddle the upper edge of the elevated wall 4 of the pan, to space the upper lip l6 of the cup above the edge of the pan, thus forming an intake mouth I! directed towards the interior of the bedpan. The side and bottom edges of the cup I are arcuately shaped to snugly conform to the outer face of the wall 4, which forms a closure for the cup, with the exception of the intake mouth IT. The cup is also provided with a nipple l8, to which the flexible tube 9 is attached.

In the ordinary use of a bedpan, the body of the patient, which is supported upon the top rim 5 of the pan, serves to substantially close the top of the pan with the exception of a limited portion at the elevated end of the pan, positioned between the legs of the patient. Consequently, in operation, the cup 1, comprising an important feature of the present invention, is supported upon the edge of the pan between the patients legs, which avoids possible discomfort.

In operation it will be obvious that as the motor-driven suction fan I0 is actuated, odors from the pan will be drawn into the cup I through the mouth I! by the fan and, subsequently, discharged through the outlet tube H, which, as heretofore explained, may communicate in any convenient manner with outside atmosphere.

From the foregoing explanation, considered in connection with the accompanyingd i it will be apparent that an exceedingly eflicient, compact and inexpensive, portable ventilating apparatus has been provided for use on conventional bedpans, which eliminates an especially constructed Dan and mechanical attachment.

In addition to being portable, the apparatus may be easily suspended on a bed in any convenient position, to eliminate obstruction of the room floor.

Referring particularly to Figure 4 of the drawing, my bedpan may have one or more integral nipples l8 molded therein, for attachment to a suction hose. It will also be noted that a suction equipment may be provided wherein a plurality of the pans are connected to a single pipe or suction unit for drawing off th foul air from a series of beds.

I claim:

1. A portable ventilating apparatus for attachment to conventional bedpans comprising, a cup for loose vertical support upon one end of the pan and having an edge projecting above the same, the side walls of said pan serving to close the lower portion of the cup and form an intake mouth at the exposed top of the cup, said mouth being directed toward the interior of the pan,

and a motor-driven suction fan connected with said cup for drawing air from the interior of the pan when the top of the pan is substantially closed by the patient.

2. A portable ventilating apparatus for attachment to conventional bedpans comprising, a cup having depending fingers formed on its side walls adjacent the upper edge of the cup for straddling the rim of the pan and spacing the upper edge of the cup above the rim, th side walls of said pan serving as a closure for the lower portion of the cup, a motor-driven suction fan, a flexible tubular connection between said cup and fan, and a flexible outlet tube connected to said fan for communication with outside atmosphere.

3. A portable ventilating apparatus for attachment to conventional bedpans comprising, a cup having depending fingers formed on its side walls adjacent the upper edge of the cup for straddling the rim of the pan and spacing the upper edge of the cup above the rim, the side wall of said pan serving as a closure for the lower portion of the cup, a motor-driven suction fan, a flexible tubular connection between said cup and fan, a

flexible outlet tube connected to said fan for communication with outside atmosphere, and means carried by said motor-driven fan for suspending the same upon a portion of a bed.

4. In a portable ventilating apparatus for attachment to conventional bedpans comprising, a cup having depending fingers formed on its side walls adjacent the upper edge of the cup for straddling the rim of the pan and spacing the upper edge of the cup above the rim to form an intake mouth, the pan serving as a closure for the lower part of the cup.

ADOLPH R. DAI-ILKE. 

